Friday, 9 February 2007

Apparently Ad Execs are surprised at the speed of change and are having trouble keeping up. Hum...maybe part of the problem is that they are less focused on innovating than following but I don't think the blame can be put squarely on them.

Now might be a good time for marketing departments to learn some lessons from programmers. The old models of software development have morphed and changed more than the communications industries models have from waterfall to agile.

Accroding to Wikipedia, some of the principles that comprise a manifesto behind Agile programming include:

* Customer satisfaction by rapid, continuous delivery of useful software * Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months) * Working software is the principal measure of progress. * Even late changes in requirements are welcomed. * Close, daily, cooperation between business people and developers * Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication. * Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted * Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design. * Simplicity * Self-organizing teams * Regular adaptation to changing circumstances

Tell me there aren't some lessons to be learned here. Bottom line, if clients continue to have arduous approval cycles and processes, it is virtually impossible to have even the most innovative fast as a speeding bullet ideas come to light in a timely manner.

Here's hoping for the birth of agile marketing and our own quick to market manifesto.